Bottle carrier



April 26, 1966 A. J. WEISS BOTTLE CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1963 INVENTOR Azruuz A. mass A. J. WEISS BOTTLE CARRIER April 26, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5., 1963 4o AHulz 1. mass ATTORNEYj United States Patent 3,248,004 BOTTLE CARRIER Arthur J. Weiss, Bergenfield, N .J., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 306,074 20 Claims. (Cl. 220-115) This invention relates to a novel wrap-around bottle carrier, and in particular, to novel cooperative latching means forming a portion of the wrap-around bottle carrier for effectively securing together closure panels of the carrier when the carrier is erected and in addition, to provide a top panel of the wrap-around carrier with a plurality of bottle-neck receiving openings arranged in cooperative relationship with the latching means.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel wraparound paperboard bottle carrier including inner and outer closure panels, cooperative latching means forming portions of the inner and outer closure panels, spacers struck from the material of the inner closure panel and forming portions of the latching means, and the latching means being disposed substantially to one side of a longitudinal center line of the carrier whereby a substantial reduction in the amount of material required to construct the carrier is achieved.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel wrap-around paperboard bottle carrier of the type immediately above described wherein the cooperative latching means comprises a plurality of first latching members struck from the inner closure panel and a plurality of longitudinally aligned second latching members struck from the outer closure panel, each of the spacers being formed from a portion of each of the first latching members and being hingedly connected to the inner closure panel, a tab being struck from each of the second latching members, and means partially defined by a portion of each of the spacers for receiving an associated one of the tabs of the second latching members.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel Wrap-aroundbottle carrier comprising a top panel joined to each of a pair of opposed side panels along an associated fold line, an inner closure panel joined to one of the side panels and an outer closure panel joined to another of the side panels, cooperative latching means including first and second latching members carried by the inner and outer closure panels respectively, a spacer forming a portion of each of the first latching members, and an opening being struck in each of the spacers and a tab of each of the second latching members being received in each of the openings with the major portions of the first and second locking members being disposed substantially to one side of the longitudinal center line of the carrier.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bottle carrier of the type having a plurality of openings in a top panel thereof, each of which openings receives an individual neck of a bottle, arranging the plurality of openings in pairs on opposite sides of a center line of the top panel, each of the openings being defined by a continuous edge, and the opposed openings narrowing toward the center line whereby portions defining each of .the openings underlie and support a closure carried by the neck of a bottle received in each of the openings.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of assembling a plurality of bottles in a wrap-around carrier including at least the steps of providing a wrap-around carrier blank having a top panel provided with a plurality of pairs of neck-receiving open- 3,24 ,004 Patented Apr. 26, 1966 ings narrowing toward a center line of the top panel to form opposing bottle supporting portions, positioning a bottle in each of the neck-receiving openings, and thereafter wrapping the carrier about the bottles to urge the bottles toward the center line of the top panel and the neck of each of the bottles into the narrowing bottle supporting portions of each neck-receiving opening.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a wrap-around paperboard bottle carrier constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates latching means disposed substantially to one side of a center line through the carrier and securing closure panels of the carrier together to maintain the carrier in the erected position thereof.

'rier blank taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2, and illustrates a pair of bottles having crown caps inserted through neck-receiving openings in a top panel of the carrier blank and the position of the bottles prior to wrapping the carrier blank thereabout to form the erected carrier of FIGURE 1. p

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 1, and illustrates the position of a pair of bottles in phantom outline after the carrier blank has been wrapped about the bottles and the closure panels have been secured together by the cooperative latching means.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view with parts broken away for clarity of the carrier of FIGURE 4, and clearly illustrates the latching means disposed to one side of a longitudinal center line through the carrier and a spacer forming a portion of the latching means -provided with an 7 opening for receiving a tab struck from one of the closure panels.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 4, and more clearly illustrates a tab projecting through an opening formed in each of a plurality of spacers struck from an inner closure panel of the wrap-around bottle carrier.

A novel wrap-around carrier constructed in accordance with this invention is best illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 4 through 6 of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The bottle carrier 10 is constructed from a bottle carrier blank 11 of FIG- URE 2. The bottle carrier 10 will be best understood by first describing the bottle carrier blank 11 of FIG URE 2, to which attention is directed.

The wrap-around carrier blank 11 comprises a substantially rectangular blank of paperstock material defined defined by portions of the pair of longitudinal fold lines 12, 13 the fourth transverse fold line 24 and the irregular second transverse edge 15.

Cooperative latching means, generally designated by the reference numeral 26, are integrally formed from' portions of the inner and outer closure panels 16 and 25, respectively. The cooperative latching means 261mmprise a plurality of transversely spaced first latching members 27 struck from the inner closure panel 16 and a plurality of transversely spaced second latching members 28 forming portions of the outer closure panel 25. Each of the plurality of first and second locking members 27 and 28 respectively is identical, and each one of the first latching members 27 is in longitudinal alignment with an associated one of the second latching members 28.

Each of the first latching members 27 comprises a substantially trapezoidal spacer 30 struck from the material of the inner closure panel 16. Each of the spacers 30 is partially defined by a pair of cut lines 31, '32 converging from a first transverse line 33 toward the first transverse fold line 17 and terminating at a transverse cut line 34 positioned substantially halfway between the first transverse edge 14 and the first transverse fold line 17. Each of the transverse cut lines 34 has identical end portions 35, 35 projecting transversely beyond the junctions of the converging cut lines 31, 32 with the transverse cut line 33. The spacers 30 are each hingedly connected to the inner closure panel 16 along a pair of spaced, short fold lines 36, 36 forming portions of the first transverse line 33. Each of the spacers 30 also includes a substantially semicircular tabreceiving opening 37 defined by an arcuate or curved edge 38 opening toward the first transverse line 33 and a tab-latching edge 40 between the short fold lines 36, 36 of each of the first latching members 27. Each of the hinged spacers 30 is movable out of the plane of the inner closure panel 16 from the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings to the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 4 through 6. Movement of each of the spacers from the plane of the inner closure panel 16 defines a generally trapezoidal tongue-receiving opening 41 (see FIGURE 1) in each of the first latching members 27. Each of these substantially trapezoidal tonguereceiving openings is set off by the pair of converging cut lines 31, 32, the transverse out line 34, the pair of spaced, short fold lines 36, 36 and the tab engaging edge 40. The purpose of these tongue-receiving openings 41 is to receive an associated one of each of a plurality of tongues of the second latching members28 in a manner to be immediately described below.

Each of the second latching members 28 is identical and includes a latching body 42 hingedly connected to theouter closure panel 25 along a second transverse line 43 which may, for example, be a fold line or a partial line of severance. A latching tongue 44 having a pair of oppositely directed, short, transverse slits 45, 45 is joined to the latching body 42 along a short transverse fold line or line of severance 46. The latching tongue 44 of each of the second latching members 28 is directed oppositely to a latching tab 47 struck from the material of the outer closure panel 25 along a out line 48. Each latching tongue 44 and latching tab 47 of each of the second latching members 28 is receivable in the respective trapezoidal tongue-receiving opening 41 and semi-circular tab-receiving opening 37 of the inner closure panel 16 in a manner to be described more fully hereafter.

' The top panel 21 of the carrier blank 11 is divided into three top panel portions 50-52 by third and fourth transverse lines, 53 and 54 respectively. The second trans- 4 verse fold line 20 and the third transverse line 53 set ofi the first side portion 50 of the top panel 21 while the third transverse fold line 22 and the fourth transverse line 54 set off the second side portion 52 of the top-panel 1 21. Between the third and fourthtransverse lines 53 and t 54 respectively lies the central portion 51 of the top panel I 21. The transverse lines 53 and 54 are illustrated as fold lines, but these lines may be partial lines of severance. A plurality of opposed pairs of bottle neck-receiving openings 55 through 57 areformed in the top panel 2 1 of the carrier blank 11. Each of the pairs of opposed 1 openings 55 through 57 is identical and includes a large,

substantially circular opening 58 formed substantially.

entirely in the respective side portions 50,52 of the top panel 21 and portions 60 formed entirely from the center 1 portion 51 of the top panel 21 which portions of each pair of openings 55-57 are in longitudinal alignment and in opposed relationship to a center line through the top panel 21. adjacent each of the open portions 60 define means for underlying contacting and supporting a cap carried by a bottle received in each of the pairs of openings 55 through 57 in a manner to be described more fiully hereafter.

A pair of identical, oppositely directed finger gripping tabs 62, 62 are struck from the center portion 51 of the top panel 21 and hinged thereto along identical fold lines 63, 63.

A plurality of identical, transversely spaced crescentshaped openings 64 are formed in the side panels 18 and 23. An arcuate edge 65 partially defining each of the crescent-shaped openings 64 in the side panel 18 each define a bottle supporting projection or ledge 66 while a similar arcuate edge 67 partially defining each of the crescent-shaped openings 64 of the side panel 23 similarly defines a bottle supporting projection or ledge 68 of the outer closure panel 25. A pair of short-transverse;

fold lines 70, 71 extend between centermost and endmost of the crescent-shaped openings 64 in the side panel 18,

and substantially identical short, fold lines 72, 73 extend between a centermost and endmost of the crescent-shaped openings 64 in the side panel 23.

A fold line 74 adjacent the fold lines 70, 71 and parallel thereto is interrupted along its length by a plurality of arcuate cut lines 75 adjacent each of thecrescent-shaped openings 64. Each of the cut lines 75 sets off an identical bottle-engaging tab 76 split medially by ashort, longitudinal out line 77. A similar fold line 78 in the second side panel 23 is spaced from and parallel to the short, fold lines 7 2, 73 and is interrupted by a plurality of arcu-.

ate cut lines 80. Each of the arcuate cut lines 80 defines a bottle engaging tab 81 split medially by a short longi substantially circular openings 58 of the plurality of pairs of openings 555 7.

Adjacent bottles in each line are axially spaced apart.

a distance equal to the transverse distance betwen the axes of the plurality of pairs of openings 55 through 57 along each of the third and fourth transverse lines 53 and 54 respectively.

When the bottles B are thus positioned, one of a plurality of carrier blanks supported above the bottles B in a conventional manner is lowered to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3. As the carrier blank 11 of FIG- URE 3 is lowered to the position illustrated therein, a crown cap or closure C secured to a neck N of each of the bottles B is received through an associated one of Arcuate portions 61 of the top panel 21 each of the substantially circular openings. 58 of the plurality of pairs of openings 55 through 57. The diameters of the substantially circular openings 58 are iden-' deal and are substantially slightly larger than the maximum external diameter of the crown caps C to readily permit the passage of each of the crown caps C through an associated one of the substantially circular openings 58. In the disclosed embodiment of this invention, six bottles B are so received in the siX substantially circular openings 58, as is best illustrated in phantom outline in FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

When the bottles B are positioned in the manner described heretofore the closure panels 16 and 25 are urged downwardly simultaneously to wrap the carrier blank 11 about the bottles B. As the closure panels 16 and 25 are drawn downwardly the side portions 50 and 5-2 of the top panel 2 1 engage upper shoulder portions (unnumbered) of the bottles B and forcibly urged adjacent botties in the directions of. the arrows of FIGURE 3. As the bottles B are so urged, they each move toward a center line of the top panel 21 until each of the crown closures C overlies an arcuate portion of the top panel- 21 adjacent each of the narrowing opening portions 60 of the plurality of pairs of openings 55 through 57, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. In this position, each of the necks N of the bottles B is received in the narrow opening portion 60 of the pairs of openings 55 through 57 and the crown caps C overlie and are each slightly spaced from the central portion 51 of the top panel 21 adjacent the openings 60.

The inner closure panel 16 and the outer closure panel 25 are then secured together by the latching means 26 to completely erect the wrap-around paperboard carrier 10. As the inner closure panel 16 is swung beneath the plurality of bottles B each of the spacers 30 of the first latching members 27 is urged substantially normally-to the plane of the first closure of the inner closure panel 16 in a conventional manner and then positioned'between adjacent bottles B as is clearly illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings. Movement of each of the spacers 30 from the plane of the inner closure panel 16 automatically forms the substantially trapezoidal tonguerecei-ving opening 41 (FIGURE 1) heretofore described. The outer closure 'panel 25 is then similarly swung beneath the bottles B and in underlying relationship to the inner closure panel 16. The tongues 44 of each of the second latching members 28 carried by the outer closure panel 25 are each received in an associated longitudinally aligned trapezoidal tongue-receiving opening 41 of the first latching members 27 in a manner clearly illustrated in FIGURES l, 4 and 5 of the drawings. Each of the tongues 44 overlies the material of the inner closure panel 16 adjacent each of the short transverse cut lines 34 and the oppositely directed short slits or edges 45 of each tongue 44 interlocks with associated end portions or end edge portions 35 of the short transverse cut lines 34, as is clearly illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 5 of the drawings.

As each of the tongues 44 is received in an associated tongue-receiving opening 41, each of the tabs 47 of the second latching members 28 is projected out of the plane of the outer closurepanel 25 and then received through an associated tab-receiving opening 37 of each of the spacers 30 (see FIGURES 4 and 6) in abutment with an associated tab engaging edge 40 between the short spaced told lines 36, 36 and in overlying contact with the inner closure panel 16, as is best illustrated in FIG- U-RE 4 of the drawings.

Attention is now directed to FIGURES l and 4 through 6 of the drawings in which the fully assembled paperboard wrap-around carrier is best, illustrated. The central portion 51 of the top panel 21 of the bottle carrier 10 overlies and is parallel to the inner and outer closure panels, 16 and 25 respectively. The top panel 21 is also substantially normal to the side panels 18 and 23, and joined thereto by the respective side portions 50 and 52 along the respective transverse fold lines 20 and 22. The side panels 18 and 23 are also substantially normal to the respective inner and outer closure panels 16 and 25 and connected thereto by the respective transverse fold lines 17 and 24.

In FIGURES 1 and 4 of the drawings, the fingergripping tabs 62 are illustrated in their operative position projecting toward the interior of the wrap-around carrier 10 in substantially normal relation to the closure panels 16 and 25. When it is desired to carry or transport the carrier 10 and the bottles therein, the carrier 10 is grasped by inserting'a thumb and finger in the openings (unnumbered) formed by the tabs 62, 62. At this point, it is again noted that the crown caps or closures C of each of the bottles B are spaced slightly above the central portion 5 1 of the top panel 21 and in overlying relationship to the arcuate portions 61 of the central panel 51 adjacent each of the narrower open portions 60 of the plurality of pairs of neck-receiving openings 55-57. This relationship of the crown caps C is best illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings, and is exaggerated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings by the increased, length of the necks N of the bottle B. As the central portion 51 of the top panel 21 is lifted upwardly (as viewed in FIGURES 4 and 6) the portions 61 of the central portion 51 underlying each of the crown caps C are also lifted upwardly as viewed in these same figures. These portions 61 contact the lowermost peripheral edges (unnumbered) of the crown caps and directly support each of the bottles B when the bOttle carrier 10 is being carried. The weight of the bottles B. and the contents thereof are thus directly supported by the top panel 21. Absent this construction the weight of the bottles B and the contents thereof would be directly supported by the inner and outer closure panels 16 and 25, respectively, and thereby tend to disengage the cooperative latching means 26. However, with the above-noted construction this tendency toward disengaging is subs-tantially eliminated by the direct support atforded each of the-bottles B by the top panel 21 of the bottle carrier 10.

The six bottles B in the bottle carrier 10 are also arranged in conventional rows of three bottles in each row, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

A separator 30 of each of the first latching members 27 separates adjacent bottles in the two rows and precludes inadvertent or accidental breakage thereof. The spacers 30 are each disposed along a longitudinal center line of the bottle carrier 10, and it is to be particularly noted that the latching means 26 is disposed substantially to one side of this longitudinal center line, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 4.

This disposition of the cooperative latching means 26 to one side of the centerline of the bottle carrier 10 affords two novel advantages. First, and of utmost impontance, is the fact that all interference between the bottles B to the left of the spacers 30 as viewed in FIG- URE 4 and the tabs 47 of the second latching members 28 is eliminated. That is, as the tabs 47 are each inserted through an associated one of the openings 37 formed in the spacers'30, no contact between the tabs 47 and the bottles B to the left of the spacers 30 occurs as is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings.

This is to be distinguished fromconventional locking mechanisms wherein tabs, such as the tabs 47, must not only be inserted through openings against the resistance offered by edges defining these openings but also against the forces applied by the weight of the bottles and contents thereof in the carrier.

A second advantage ofiered by this disposition of the cooperative latching means 26 to one side of the center line of the carrier is that a lesser amount of material is required to form the inner closure panel 16 than would be otherwise required if the openings 37 were not formed in the spacers 30, but were, for example, struck from the material between the first transverse line 33 and the first transverse edge 14. By thus forming the openings in the spacers 37, the material between the first transverse line 33 and the first transverse edge 14 is available for overlying contact by each of the tabs 47. However, it openings, such as the openings 37, were struck from the material between the first-transverse edge 14 and the transversevline 33, the material available would be materially reduced as wouldv the longitudinal reinforcement afforded the carrier 10 by this material.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is directed to the fact that other variations may be made in the example article and method disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. as defined in the ap pended claims.

I claim: 7

1. A bottle carrier comprising a generally tubular structure having a top panel joinedto each of a pair of opposed side panels along an associated fold line, a first closure panel joined to onev of said side panels and a second closure panel joined to another of said side panels, cooperative latching means forming portions of said first and second closure panels and securing said first and second closure panels together, spacers forming portions of said latching means disposed along a longitudinal center line of said carrier and said latching means being disposed substantially to one side of said longitudinal center line. 7

2. A bottle carrier comprising a generally tubular structure having a top panel joined to each of a pair of opposed side panels along an associated fold line, a first closure panel joined to one of said side panels and a second closure panel joined to another of said side'panels, cooperative latching means forming portions of said first and second closure panels, spacers forming portions of said latching means disposed along a longitudinal center line of said carrier and said latching means being disposed substantially to one side of said longitudinal center line, said latching means comprising a plurality of first latching members carried by one of said closure panels and a plurality of second latching members carried by the other of said closure panels, an opening in each of said spacers, and a tab of each of said second latching means being received through an associated one of said openings.

3. A bottle carrier comprising a generally tubular structure having a top. panel joined to each '01" a pair of opposed side panels along an associated fold line, a first closure panel joined to one of said side panels and a second closure panel joined to another of said side panels, cooperative latching means forming portions of said first and second closure panels, spacers forming portions of said latching means disposed along a longitudinal center line of said carrier and said latching means being disposed substantially to one side of said longitudinal center line, said latching means comprising a plurality of first latching members carried by 'said first closure panel and a plurality of longitudinally aligned second latching members carried by said second closure panel, each spacer forming a portion of each of said first latching members and being hinged to said first closure panel, a tab forming a portion of each of said second latching members, and means partially defined by a portion of each of said spacers for receipt of said tabs.

4. A bottle carrier comprising a generally tubular structure having a top panel joined to each of a pair of opposed side panels along an associated fold line, a first closure panel. joined to one of said side panels and a second closure panel joined to another of said side panels, cooperative latching means forming portions of said first and second closure panels, spacers forming portions of said latching means disposed along a longitudinal center line of said carrier and said latching means being disposed substantially to one side of said longitudinal center line, said latching means comprising a plurality of first latching members carried by said first closure panel and a plurality of aligned second latching members carried by said second closure panel, said spacers being struck from said first closure panel and being hinged thereto, an opening formed in each of said spacers and a tab forming a portion of-each of said second laching members received in each of saidopenings.

5. A bottle carrier comprising a generally tubular structure having a top panel joined to each of a pair of opposed side panels along an associated fold line, a first closure paneljoined to one of said side panels and-a second closure panel joined to another of said side panels, cooperative latching means forming portions of said first and second closure panels, spacers forming portions of said latching means disposed along a longitudinal center line of said carrier and said latching means being disposed substantially to one side of said longitudinal center line, said latching means comprising a plurality of first latching members carriedby said first closure 7. A bottle carrier comprising a generally tubular structure having a top panel joined to each of a pair of opposed side panels along an associated fold line, an inner closure panel joined to one of said side panels, an outer closure panel joined to another of said side panels, cooperative latching means forming portions of said inner and outer closure panels, spacers formed from one of said closure panels and disposed along a longitudinal center line of said carrier, said latching means comprising a plurality of first latching means formed from one of said closure panels and a plurality of second latchi ing means carried by the other of said closure panels,

said first latching means being at least partially defined by opening means in said spacers and said second latching means being received insaid opening means of said spacers.

8. In a tubular carrier of the type having a top panel, a pair of closure panels and cooperative latching means securing said closure panels together, the improvement comprising a spacer struck from a first of said closure panels and folded out of the plane thereof to define an opening, said cooperative latching means including a latch member formed in the second of said closure panels, said latching member, opening and spacer being in transverse alignment relative to the axis of said tubular carrier, said latching member being received through said opening and interlocking with a portion of said.

first closure panel, means forming a portion of said top panel for positioning bottles inthe carrier at each side of a longitudinal center line thereof, said positioning.

means being. a plurality of openings, and said openings being each defined by a neck-receiving opening narrow ing toward the longitudinal center line of the carrier to define means for underlyingly contacting andsuppoiting a cap carried by a bottle received in each of said openings.

9. Thebottle carrier as defined in claim 8 wherein said openings are arranged in aligned pairs with the narrowing portion of each pair being positioned in opposed relationship on opposite sides of the center line of the carrier.

10. A wrap-around carrier blank comprising a substantially rectangular blank, a plurality of transversev fold lines dividing said blank into top and side panels, one of said transverse fold lines and a transverse edge defining an inner closure panel, another of said transverse fold lines and another transverse edge defining an outer closure panel, cooperative longitudinally aligned latching means forming portions of said inner and outer closure panels, said latching means including a plurality of. transversely spaced first latching members carried by one of said closure panels and a plurality of transversely spaced second latching members carried by the other of said closure panels, each of said first latching members including a spacer formed from said one closure panel, means partially defining each of said spacers for receiving a latching tab, and a latching tab formed from each of said other closure panels for insertion through said lastmentioned means.

11. The wrap-around carrier blank as defined in claim wherein said last-mentioned means includes an edge formed by striking the material of said one closure panel.

12. The wrap-around carrier blank as defined in claim 10 wherein said spacers are hinged along a transverse line, said last-mentioned means is an opening formed in each of said spacers and each opening is partially defined by an edge lying along said transverse line.

13. A wrap-around carrier blank comprising a substantially rectangular blank, a plurality of transverse fold lines dividing said blank into top and side panels, one of said transverse fold lines and a transverse'edge defining an inner closure panel, another of said transverse fold lines .and another transverse edge defining an outer closure panel, cooperative longitudinally aligned latching means forming portions of said inner and outer closurepanels, said latching means including a plurality of transversely spaced first latching members carried by said inner closure paneland a plurality of transversely spaced second latching members carried by said outer closure panel, each of said first latching members including a spacer struck from said inner closure panel, said spacer each defining a tongue-receiving opening, a tab-receiving opening in each of said spacers, and a tongue and tab formed from each of said second latching members for projection into said respective tongue and tab receiving openings of said first latching members.

14. A wrap-around carrier blank comprising a substantially rectangular blank defined by a pair of longitudinal and transverse edges, a first of said pair of transverse edges and a first transverse fold line defining an inner closure panel, a first side panel defined by said first transverse fold lineand a second transverse fold line, a top panel defined between said second transverse fold line and a third transverse fold line, a second side panel defined by said third transverse fold line and a fourth transverse fold line, an outer closure panel defined by said fourth transverse fold line and a second of said pair of transverse edges, cooperative latching means forming portions of said inner and outer closure panels, said latching means including a plurality of transversely spaced first latching members joined to said inner closure panel along a first transverse line between said first transverse edge and said first transverse fold line and a plurality of transversely spaced second latching members joined to said outer closure panel along a second transverse line between said second transverse edge and said fourth transverse fold line, said first and second latching members being in longitudinal alignment, each of said first latching members being formed from said inner closure panel and being hinged along said first transverse line for movement out of the plane of said inner closure panel whereby to form aligned spacers, tongue-receiving openings formed in each of said first latching members, each of said tongue-receiving openings being partially defined by a tab-engaging edge forming a portion of said first transverse line, each of said second latching members being formed from said outer closure panel and joined thereto along said second transverse line, each second latching member including a latching tongue and an oppositely directed latching tab,

, each latching tab being hinged along said second transverse line for movement out of the plane of said outer closure panel to thereby engage a respective one of said tab-engaging edges when an associated tongue is inserted in a tongue-receiving opening and each of said first and second transverse fold lines being spaced equal distances from the respective first and fourth transverse fold lines whereby said first and second latching members are disposed substantially to one side of a longitudinally center line of a carrier erected from said blank.

15. In a tubular carrier of the type having a pair of closure panels and cooperative latching means securing said closure panels together, the improvement comprising a spacer struck from a first of said closure panels and folded out of the plane thereof to define an opening, said cooperative latching means including a latch member formed in the second of said closure panels, said latching member, opening and spacer being in transverse alignment relative to the axis of said tubular carrier, and said latching member being received through said opening and interlocking with a portion of said first closure panel.

16. A bottle carrier comprising a generally tubular structure having a top panel, a pair of side panels joined to opposite sides of said top panel, a first closure panel joined to one of said side panels, a second closure panel joined to the other of said side panels, cooperative latching means forming portions of said first and second closure panels, a spacer, said spacer defining a relieved area, and a latching member of said latching means being projected through said relieved area from one side of said spacer to an opposite side of said spacer.

17. A bottle carrier comprising a generally tubular structure having a top panel, a pair of side panels joined to opposite sides of said top panel, a first closure panel joined to one of said side panels, a second closure panel joined to the other of said side panels, spacer means formed from one of said closure panels, latching means formed from another of said closure panels, and means eiiecting the passage of said latching means from one side of said spacer means to an opposite side of said spacer means between a portion of said spacer means .and said one closure panel.

18. A wrap-around carrier blank comprising a plurality of fold lines defining said blank into top, side, first and second panels, cooperative longitudinally aligned latching means forming portions of said first and second panels, said latching means including a plurality of transversely spaced first latching means carried by one of said means forming a portion of said top panel for positioning bottles in the carrier, said last-mentioned means being a plurality of openings which are each defined by a neckreceiving opening narrowing toward the longitudinal center line of the carrier to define means for underlyingly contacting and supporting a cap carried by a bottle received in e'ach'of said openings.

20. A wrap-around carrier blank comprising a substantially rectangular blank, a plurality of transverse fold lines dividing said blank into top and side panels, one of said transverse fold lines and a transverse edge defining a first closure panel, another of said transverse fold lines and another transverse edge defining a second closure panel, cooperative longitudinally aligned latching means forming portions of said first and second closure panels, said latching means including a plurality of transversely spaced first latching members carried by one of said closure panels and a plurality of transversely spaced sec 1 1 0nd latching members carried by the other of said closure panels, each of said first latching members including a spacer formed from said one closure panel, means partially defining each of said spacers for receiving a latching tab, a latching tab formed from each of said other closure panels for insertion through said last-mentioned means, a plurality'of pairs of openings in said top panel, and each opening being defined by a neck-receiving opening narrowing toward a center line of the top panel normal to the longitudinal axis of the blank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Snelling 206 65 Forrer 229-52 Ingham 220114 Sherman et al 229-40 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. A BOTTLE CARRIER COMPRISING A GENERALLY TUBULAR STRUCTURE HAVING A TOP PANEL JOINED TO EACH OF A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE PANELS ALONG AN ASSOCIATED FOLD LINE, A FIRST CLOSURE PANEL JOINED TO ONE OF SAID SIDE PANELS AND A SECOND CLOSURE PANEL JOINED TO ANOTHER OF SAID SIDE PANELS, COOPERATIVE LATCHING MEANS FORMING PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLOSURE PANELS AND SECURING SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLOSURE PANELS TOGETHER, SPACERS FORMING PORTIONS OF SAID LATCHING MEANS DISPOSED ALONG A LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OF SAID CARRIER AND SAID LATCHING MEANS BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY TO ONE SIDE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE. 